Slide fastener



H. HEIMANN SLIDE FASTENER Filed Feb.

Patented Nov. 23, 1943 SLIDE FASTENER. Heinrich Heimann, New York, N. Y., assigner to Waldes Koh-I-Noor, Inc., N. Y., a corporation oi' New Long mami city, York Application February 16, 1943, Serial No. 476,088

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in slide fasteners, and more particularly to an improved bridge top stop therefor which functions as an end stop for the fastener slider and which furthermore provides a fastener opening of variable width adjacent the top.

As presently constructed, bridge top stops are' of rigid construction, being formed in one piece or by two pieces integrally connected together,

thereby to space the tapes a given fixed distance.

adjacent the top or closing end of the fastener. Hence, as the slider is moved away from the stop to partially or fully open the fastener, the width of the opening between the upper ends of the fastener tapes is not only fixed but is usually quite small. For slide fastener assemblies employed in handbags, cles, the width of the slot or opening between the tapes can advantageously be increased, thereby to facilitate the removal of objects through the closing end of the fastener. over, it is further desirable that the width or spacing between the'tapes, particularly at the top or closing end as small as possible under normal conditions, so as to prevent small objects falling through the `closing end of the fastener and thereby becoming lost.

The invention contemplates and seeks to provide an improved bridge top stop for slide fasteners which is so constructed and arranged that it attains the advantages of a narrow opening between the tapes when the fastener is opened but is nevertheless adjustable whereby this opening can be widened adjacent the closing end of the fastener under conditions making the same desirable. vMore specifically, the invention aims to provide a bridge-typeltop stop which consists of two separate pieces, each appropriately secured to one of the fastener tapes at the .relatively top end thereof, the 'two pieces being operatively connected together so that they bridge the opening between the tapes and at the same time permit the opening to be adjusted to various widths. Furthermore, according to the invention, the bridge top stop is so constructed that the fastener opening has minimum width as the fastener chains are tensioned, for example, in moving the slider to partially or fully open position, while at the same time the fastener opening may be widened as necessary to facilitate 'the removal of objects through the closing end of the opening.

Other objects will be in partobvious and in v part hereinafter pointed out in connection witb suitcases. or similar arti' More-A of the slider, be maintained the following analysis oi this invention wherein is illustrated embodiments of the invention in detail. v

In the drawingi Fig. 1 is a plan view of the upper end of a slide fastener provided with a bridge top stop in accordance with .the invention, the slider being illustrated in its relatively upper or fastener closing position;

Fig.'2 is a like view of a slide fastener and bridge top stop illustrated in Fig. 1, the fastener being shown in open position and the stop being adjusted for a wide opening between the tapes:

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.`1. illustrating a modified bridge top stop according to the invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the slide fastener and bridge stop according to Fig. 3, the latter being adjusted for a wide fastener opening adjacent the stop.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and particularly to Figs. land 2, the slide fastener therein shown comprises tapes or stringers 8,- Iii of extended length to provide a closure for an opening in handbags, suitcases, and similar articles, and which carry along their adjacent edges rows or chains of oppositely' disposed fastener elements Il, i2. The securing ends of the elements are clamped over the edge beads I3. Il of the tives. the bleed ends of the elements beingpmvided with the usual locking projections. As is well understood, the oppositelydisposed elements of the chains are adapted to be meshed and unmeshed by a slider Il whichI as shown, is of the type having a Y- shaped race or channel adapted to dispose the disengaged elements and the tapesI carrying the latter i'anwise upon their exit from the slider channels.

According to the invention, a bridge top stop is associated with the fastener tapes at the relatively upper end thereof, to limits movement of the slider I8 in closing direction. In the Figs. 1 and 2 modincation, the top stop comprises two separate arm-like parts 2li. 2l. each carrying at its relatively outer end, to extend -at right angles therefrom, a pair of clamping jaws which may 'be formed similarly to the jaws conventionally provided at the securingends of the fastener elements. As shown.

the related jaws 22 secure arm 20 to tape beadv i8, and jaws Il securethe arm'fi to the tape provide Va stop which bead Il, this securement being effected adjacent the upper or closing end of the fastener.

The adjacent ends of the arms 20, 2| are formed as enlarged heads 2l, 25, each having an eye for the reception of a rivet-like pin 2l. The 'arms are related as shown and the pin 26 accordingly provides a hinge joint which permits the arms to have free relative turning movement on the axis of the pin. v f

Above the bridge top stop, the tapes can be held in desired position, for example, vin edge-toedge contact by a staple 2'I4 or other equivalent means.

As will be observed from Fig. 1, the slider I6 in its uppermost of fastener closing position is adapted to move against the under faces of the arms 20, 2| which bridge the openingbetween the tapes andv thereby limit the closing movement of the slider. By reason of the hinge Joint connection betweenthe arms 20, 2|, the latter may adjust themselves to the position as shown in which.,4 the arms engage against the inclined upper edges ofthe slider. As the slider is moved away from the top stop' to partially or fully open the fastener, the tapes are tensioned. The arms '20, 2| being free to move towards each other,

tensioning of the tapes causes the arms to close. as indicated in dotted lines (Fig. 2). and accordingly the tape beads III, Il are brought close together to provide an opening of minimum width. Hence, the passage of small articles through lthe narrow width fastener opening is prevented.

However, whenv it is desired to vwiden the space between the tapes, .particularly at the stop end of the fastener, the tapes can be spread apart as indicated in full lines (Fig. 2) the arms 2l), 2| of the top stop turning on the axis of the pin 26 to permit such wider opening to be effected. Accordingly, the removal of articles contained within the handbag -or suitcase closed by a fastener provided with the t'op stop as aforesaid is facilitated. V

According to the modled top stop illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the arms 30, 3| are hinged or pivoted at their relatively adi acent ends -by a pivot 35. Instead of extending straightway as in Fig'.

l1, the arms are formed long land extend along a.

curvature. At their free or outer ends they carry clamp jaws 32, 33 corresponding generally to the clamp :laws 22 of the Fig. 1 construction. By

, reason. of the curvature of the arms 20, 2|, the jaw ends thereof may nest within the diverging channels of 'slider IB when the latter is moved against thestop. Hence the clamping jaws I2, I3 are concealed by the slider wings. and an attractive closure results. As the slider is moved away from the slot to open the fastener, the jaw ends of the arms withdraw from the slider and are free to move towards each other in response to tensioning of the tapes to their dotted line position (Fig. 4) to provide an opening of minimum widthA at vthe stop end of the fastener. However, this openingcanbeenlarged.asindicatedinfull lines (Fig. 4l by suitable manipulationl of the tener closing position.

tapes to spread the same whereby passage of articles through the fastener at the stop end thereof is facilitated.

Accordingly, the invention provides an improved bridge top stop which functions as a stop. to limit the closing movement of the slider and which at the same time provides e. simple and effective means for reducing the width of the fastener opening as the fastener tapes or chains are tensioned by the. slider as the latter is moved in its opening direction. The bridge top stop of the invention further provides a simple and eifective means by which the width of the opening at the top end of the fastener may be enlarged under conditions requiring the same.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. l

I claim:

l. In a slide fastener, a bridge top stop com prising two separate parts, each ,adapted to be secured at one end to a corresponding fastener tape adjacent the top end of the fastener, and

a joint operatively connecting the other ends of 3. In a slide fastener, a bridge top stop com prising two separate parts, each of which is adapted to be secured to a corresponding fasg tener tape adjacent the top end of the fastener,

said parts being operatively connected by a. pin and eye connection whereby said parts may turn relative-to each other on the axis of said pin.

4. In a slide fastener, a bridge top stop comprising two separate parts, each part carrying securing means at one end thereof for securing the same to a fastener tape, saidcsecuring means extending at an angle to and relatively outwardly from saidpart, the other end of each part being formed as a head having an eye. anda pin extending through the head eyes for securing the parts together and torprcvide a pivot about which said parts may turn relatively to each other.

. 5. A bridge stop for a slide fastener accordy ing to claim 4, in which the arms extend along a curvature suchthat the ends of the parts and the securing means therefor may extend into the slider channels as the slider is brought to fas- HEINRICH HEIMIANN. 

